New year, new goals

‘Tis the season for some time off, family, treats and cozy nights in. But it’s also the time of year to reflect on the past 12 months and think ahead to the next 365 days. What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals, your hopes, your resolutions? Sometimes there’s pressure to create a New Year’s resolution; sometimes they come naturally, especially for dancers, who are always working toward something anyway. Nonetheless, if you have a goal, that’s one thing, but keeping it may be another. Here, for inspiration, we turned to several dancers and Só Dança ambassadors to hear about their New Year’s goals and how they hope to go about achieving them.

What are your New Year’s goals for 2019?

Tia Wenkman. Photo by Ashley Baker Photography.

Tia Wenkman, Master Ballet Academy and Phoenix Ballet

“My goals for 2019 are to focus on my training, school and future. After completing five major competitions in 2018, I feel that it’s important to take a step back to focus on my long-term goals while continuing to work on my strength and technique. I am doing a lot more cross-training and learning more about my muscles, tendons and joints and how they work together to keep my body strong and to prevent injuries. I also plan on trying to have a better balance with my education and dance schedule.”

Sara Mearns in Jerome Robbins’ ‘Dances at a Gathering’. Photo by Paul Kolnik, for NYCB.

Sara Mearns, principal dancer, New York City Ballet

“My goals are not to be so hard on myself and others, to support those around me more professionally, and to always do what is difficult in terms of my artistic exploration. I also want to spend as much time as possible with my husband!”

Victoria Caban, NBC World of Dance Season 2

“My New Year’s goal is to work on creating my own choreography and teaching classes more often. I also would love to start uploading videos of me singing, because singing is one of my hidden talents!”

Evan Ruggiero, tap dancer and teacher, Broadway Dance Center

“Some of my goals for 2019 include getting on Broadway, and recording an album with my band, Evan and The S’Evan Legs.”

How do you hope to work to achieve these goals?

Caban

“I hope to work to achieve these goals by making sure I stay focused and determined. I will push myself past my limits so that every single day I am constantly growing and learning.”

Mearns

Sara Mearns and husband Josh Bergasse. Photo by Matt Simkins.

“My husband and my schedules are always opposite, one of us is always traveling or away. I will not schedule so much so I can be with him.”

Wenkman

“I am working to achieve these goals by using the extra time off from competing to work on technique, cross-training and utilizing my scholarships. I have been catching up on some school work as well as working closely with health professionals to learn how to be the strongest dancer I can be. I feel that this is very important as I want to have a long career in ballet. I also plan on traveling to use my scholarships that I received from competing in 2018.”

Ruggiero

Evan Ruggiero. Photo by James Jin.

“I’m hoping to achieve these goals by continuing to do the work I have been doing — putting in the hours of rehearsal, auditioning as much as I can, making the right connections, staying positive, and cutting out any negativity that’s aimed toward my career.”